• 2024-08-21

Active Achievement Fund – Supporting Regional Informal Groups

Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE

Through the “Active Achievement Fund”, a sub-granting activity of the “Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE” project, the financial support is provided to regional informal groups, aiming to:

• empower youth in the Western Balkans to participate in a structured dialogue on public policies relevant to youth;
• advocate for the adoption of European values and strengthening of democratic and responsible institutions;
• promote regional cooperation and political, economic and social benefits of the EU integration for the Western Balkans societies.

The Call for project proposals for the Active Achievement Fund for 2024 was open to the regional groups composed of at least 5 young people from at least 3 out of five Western Balkan countries in which the RYDE project is being implemented (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*[1], North Macedonia and Serbia). These groups are not formally registered and have a low level of formality and weak technical and managerial skills.

Support is provided through the direct payments by RYDE partner organizations, which serve as intermediary organizations for the projects of informal groups, depending on the host country chosen by each informal group.

Within the “Active Achievement Fund” for 2024, a total of five projects of informal groups were supported. In 2025, an additional Call for supporting regional informal groups will be announced.

Informal group 1: The Diversity Youth (composed of five young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia)

Project name: “Building youth policies of young people from single-parent and one-parent families in North Macedonia, Serbia & Bosnia and Herzegovina”

Intermediary partner organization: NGO Info Center Foundation, Skopje, North Macedonia

Project description: In North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, young people from single-parent and one-parent families often face a series of socio-economic and psychological needs, but also insufficient legal coverage regarding their demands, challenges, problems, and questions. Addressing these priorities requires comprehensive approaches that combine economic support, educational opportunities, social inclusion initiatives, and health services tailored to the needs of youth from single-parent and one-parent families.

This project aims to promote the inclusion and equality of young people from single-parent families in the Western Balkans, aligning with European social policies and the rule of law. It advocates for their rights and needs, focusing on improving their socio-economic status through cooperation in North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project addresses legal regulations, social support, youth policies, and works to reduce discrimination, prejudice, and stigma faced by young people from single-parent and one-parent families.

Two members of this informal group are actually part of single families, who have been actively working for three years to improve the rights, visibility, protection, and advancement of legal regulations in North Macedonia. With the support of the members from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, they expect sharing information and interstate action towards achieving common goals related to family rights and legislative reforms in these three countries.

Informal group 2: Organized group “STAV” (composed of nine young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia)

Project name: “Western Balkan Student Mobilization and Advocacy Network (WB-STAW)”

Intermediary partner organization: Regional Academy for Democratic Development (ADD), Novi Sad, Serbia

Project description: The problem this project is tackling is the lack of democratic practices in Universities across the Western Balkan region. Namely, student bodies, student parliaments and student organizations on the majority of Universities lack transparency in their work and impose a one party system of student governance in the institutions. It is important to address this problem since these student bodies exist to protect students’ interests and the quality of their education.

This project aims to establish active organizations focused on exploring student bodies in universities across Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The general objectives are to raise awareness among young people about student parliaments and organizations, and to enhance their problem-solving skills to empower local student communities. Specific objectives include:

• familiarizing youth with legal frameworks, student organization rules, and electoral processes in their countries;
• educating them about their rights and active youth participation;
• providing skills in communication, public relations, and advocacy to effectively present ideas to institutions, government bodies, and the public;

Informal group 3: Generations United Initiative (composed of five young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo*)

Project name: “Promotion of dialogue between generations in the Western Balkans"

Intermediary partner organization: Kosovar Stability Initiative, Pristina, Kosovo

Project description: Since the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the subsequent conflicts in the 1990s, these countries have faced significant challenges in bridging intergenerational divides. The fragmentation and lack of understanding between older and younger generations have been exacerbated by economic hardships, political instability, and limited opportunities for meaningful dialogue. This has resulted in a significant gap in communication and cooperation between different age groups.

This project seeks to facilitate structured dialogue through workshops, community forums, and cultural exchanges. By creating spaces for interaction and mutual learning, the aim is to promote mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration among generations. This initiative holds particular significance for youth in the region, who represent the future leaders and agents of change. Empowering youth to engage constructively with older generations not only fosters inclusivity but also ensures that diverse perspectives are integrated into decision-making processes. By promoting intergenerational dialogue, this project endeavors to contribute to a more harmonious and prosperous future for the Western Balkans, grounded in shared values and a collective vision for sustainable development and peace.

Informal group 4: Artvist Voices (composed of five young girls from Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo* who use art as a tool to redirect and confort social issues)

Project name: "EmpowerArt Balkans"

Intermediary partner organization: Youth Act Center, Tirana, Albania

Project description: Along with general economic development, all Western Balkan economies have experienced a positive trend in youth employment creation in recent years. However, youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, while activity and employment rates are far below the levels seen in the EU, with a strong gender bias. The average regional youth unemployment rate is 35.1%, more than double that of 14,5% in the EU.

This project seeks to empower youth by using art as a tool to address issues like skill mismatches and labor market challenges, providing a platform for creative expression to raise awareness and propose solutions. Through artistic initiatives, the project aims to advocate for European values, strengthen democratic institutions, and ensure that the voices of diverse youth, including marginalized groups, are heard in discussions about youth employment and policy change.

Informal group 5: Fighters for improving the conditions of student accommodation facilities and other rights (composed of five young people from Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia)

Project name: “Students from the Western Balkans in a battle for European living conditions”

Intermediary partner organization: Network of Progressive Initiatives, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Project description: This informal group consists of five students from Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia who aim to highlight the poor student conditions in comparison to those in the EU and urge authorities to take action in order to improve the situation as a prerequisite for EU integration. The issue of substandard student dormitory conditions, including delayed scholarships, malfunctioning meal vouchers, and inadequate living standards, has been ongoing in many Western Balkan countries. In North Macedonia, for instance, there is no hot water, limited access to free internet, frequent internet disruptions, and other issues, as highlighted in media reports and official institution findings. This project seeks to raise awareness of these problems in Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia, mobilize students to advocate for change, and encourage authorities to take action, particularly in response to European Commission reports. The goal is to contribute to improving dormitory conditions by focusing on better food, hygiene, and overall living standards, while promoting European values and strengthening democratic institutions.

The Active Achievement Fund is a sub-granting activity of the three-year regional project “Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe” (RYDE), funded by the European Union in the period 2023-2026. The RYDE project is being implemented by the Center for Democracy Foundation from Serbia as a lead partner in cooperation with the partnering civil society organizations from the region: Academy of European Integrations and Negotiations (Albania), Youth Act Center (Albania), Kosovar Stability Initiative (Kosovo*), Network of Progressive Initiatives (Bosnia and Herzegovina), NGO Info Center Foundation (North Macedonia) and Regional Academy for Democratic Development (Serbia).

Center for Democracy Foundation